Attor
by Bananas102
Summary: Gray has been kidnapped by a dark guild to work in a labor camp for wizards, every one of them praying for rescue. By day, they slave away under the heat of the broiling sun. By night, they are tortured and drained of magic. No one's ever escaped, but Gray's determined to try. Prequel to Essence of Attor. Please Read and Review!
1. Chapter 1

Gray was first aware of someone brushing his hair out of his face. A small groan escaped his lips as he was pulled towards consiousness. His brow furrowed and his fingers twitched before his dark blue eyes opened.

A man was leaning over him, eyebrows drawn together. He had shaggy brown hair and darker skin. His jaw had stubble, which was beginning to tinge with grey. He had to be around forty, judging by the lines around his eyes and mouth.

"You awake?" the man asked. Gray swallowed and tried to move his limbs, which were heavy and tingling with fatigue. He nodded. The man smiled. "My name is Toby. Do you know where you are?" he asked the boy.

Gray shook his head slowly. His tongue felt thick. As whatever he'd been under began to wear off, the higher his panic rose. Where was he? How did he get here? "You put up a fight, I think," Toby said, looking him up and down.

"Then they drugged you and took you here." Gray moved slowly as his limbs still felt odd, and he pushed himself upright. "They?" Toby pursed his lips. "Sorry, I have no idea."

The ice wizard blinked a few times as he examined the cell the two were seated in. Completely made of metal, with no windows or beds, and the only exit was a barred door which had to be locked down tight.

"W-Where am I?" Gray asked. Toby scratched the back of his neck. "I don't know the exact location, but you're in a labour camp." At Gray's confused expression, he quickly explained. "Wizards are kidnapped and forced to work here. At night, we're taken downstairs to be drained of our magic. It's run by a dark guild, that's all we know." Gray caught sight of something silver on his wrist.

"Oh, those bind our magic. We can't use it at all and it's impossible to get off." Gray couldn't find a clasp and it was practically skin tight. Suddenly, Gray's hand flew to his throat, where his fingers searched his collarbone for the familiar chain.

Gray looked at Toby. "Have you seen my necklace?" he asked. Toby shook his head apologetically. "Sorry. You probably lost it in whatever fight you were in. Gray examined himself and found the long scratch stretching from shoulder to shoulder. The necklace had most likely been cut.

He cursed under his breath.

"Is it important to you?" Toby asked. Gray's hand stayed at the spot where it would've been. Should've been. For a brief moment, he thought back to Fairy Tail. "Yeah," he replied, "It's been through a lot with me."

* * *

"Get up! C'mon!" Gray let out a groan. "Wha-?" Toby chuckled. "Time to get up, we've got a lot of work ahead of us." Gray blinked a few times but got to his feet. He slipped into the mass of workers with Toby.

"So, what's your name?" Toby asked. Gray realized he'd never told the older man. "Oh, sorry. It's Gray." Toby nodded a few times. "It fits you,' he commented. Gray snorted.

Toby suppressed a yawn. "I'm an energy wizard, you?" Gray frowned. "Energy?" Toby nodded. "Yep. I can expel energy, as well as monitor how much I give off. Besides, we're to be cell mates, we gotta know a bit about each other if we're going to get along."

Gray eyes him for a minute. "Ice mage," he said finally. Toby winced. "My condolences." Gray grew alarmed. "What?" Toby gestured to the end of the hall, where a large door was waiting to be opened.

"It's hot as hell out there. The last few ice wizards we had got sick from the heat." Gray wrinkled his nose. "Great." The door opened with a groan, and everyone was pushed outside.

Gray wondered if he'd just had a mini heart attack from just the radiating heat alone. His chest tightened. "Ugh," he spat, shielding his eyes from the harsh rays. Toby patted him on his bare shoulder. "Sorry, kid. Anyway, we should get to work. Follow me."

Toby led him towards a field, and Gray faltered for a moment. It was massive, stretching on and on towards the horizon. It was filled with tall plants adorned with golden veins. At the top of some, a bright red leaf glowed in the light of the sun.

"What are they?" Gray asked. Each plants was covered with wicked thorns, pointed and sharp. Toby glanced at one as they walked down a makeshift aisle. "Magical plants called Attor. We harvest them, and they are taken into the dark guild's hideaway and they take the magical essence inside. The thorns are very poisonous. One cut and you could die."

Gray snatched his hand away from where he'd been about to poke one. "Oh."

Toby chose an empty row. "I'll start pulling the plants, and you weed, okay?" Gray frowned. "Are you sure?" Toby waved it off. "Yeah. I'll teach you how to pull them some other day."

Gray set to work weeding. It wasn't hard, really. Just pull at the plants a little, and they came free easily. He turned at some point to see Toby gawking at him. "What?" he asked a bit sharply.

"You're pretty strong. Hold on a second. Okay, come here, I wanna see if you can pull this." Gray looked up at the tip of the magical plant. "Okay."

Toby wove his fingers through the thorns for him, and Gray's heart thudded a bit faster at the knowledge that if he pricked a finger, he'd go six feet under. "Try pulling." Gray strained, and sweat beaded on his brow, but within thirty seconds the plants came free, roots and all.

Toby grinned. "Wow. I think I underestimated you."

Like Toby had said though, a few hours later and Gray was over heating. He gulped in hot air. "You doing okay, Gray?" Gray nodded. "Yeah. I haven't encountered heat like this before."

Toby looked at him sympathetically. "It's for the plants. Only under this kind of heat and sun does the plant grow to such sizes."

Gray made a face. "Awesome."

* * *

That night, in their cell, Toby seemed extremely awake. Gray cocked his head. "Why aren't you sleeping?" Toby waved his hand at the door. "I told you, kid. They take wizards to drain their magic from in the night, so the sleeping schedule sucks."

"Oh."

Gray thought for a moment. "They'll bring you back, though, right?" Toby nodded. "Yeah. A few hours after they get me." Gray nodded, and the two fell into silence for a few minutes.

"Have you ever tried to escape?" Without missing a beat, Toby shot back, "It's not possible, little one." Gray scowled. "What do you mean? Have you tried?" Toby laughed. "People have tried. I myself have not, mostly because I've seen what happens to those that do. It's impossible."

The ice mage folded his arms across his chest. "Nothing's impossible, gramps." Toby snickered. "Gramps? I'm not that old." Gray shrugged. "I know another guy like you. He's actually my guild master. I call him gramps. Besides, you're significantly older than me. So: Gramps."

It was Toby's turn to make a face.


	2. Chapter 2

_"Hello?" A rustle. Gray spun around, cross thudding against his chest. He peered into the trees, his hands already ready halfway in position to attack. A gust of wind, and he spun to the left. Something shiny and metallic brushed his arm before zooming into the brush._

_Gray gritted his teeth. At least he knew where the bastard was."Ice-make Lance!" he yelled just before his ice streamed towards his attacker._

* * *

Gray jerked awake. "You alright, kid?" Toby asked. Gray nodded slowly. "Yeah. Just remembering some stuff." Toby narrowed his eyes at him but let him be. "Alright. So, what guild are you from?"

"Huh?" Gray asked, before looking down at his guild symbol. "Oh. I'm from Fairy Tail." Toby grinned. "Really? Wow, good for you." Gray blinked a few times. "What about you? What guild are you from?"

Toby waved it off. "I'm not from a guild. I was on my own." Gray's eyebrows drew together in confusion. "Wouldn't it be safer to be in a guild?" Toby nodded. "Maybe. But I've always been rather solitary, so I figured until I found a guild I really liked, I'd let it be."

Their conversation was interrupted by the yell of the guards. "Time for work! Get out of there!" The two got to their feet and slipped into the bustle of prisoners. "Hey, Toby," Gray began. "Is there a fence surrounding the field?"

Toby frowned, knowing exactly what Gray was getting at. "Yes. It's very high as well. You'd be spotted before you could make it over."

"What about these bracelets? If I, say, cut off my hand, would the magic still work on me?" Toby spun on him. "No, probably not," he snapped. "But don't even think about it."

Gray was taken aback for a moment before he got pissed. "I refuse to just sit here and rot!" he hissed. Toby grabbed his shoulders. "You will not make it out of here alive, you understand?"

The ice mage swallowed hard. "I won't stay. And you can't convince me otherwise."

* * *

Gray loaded another plant onto the wheelbarrow. He stopped for a moment, judging the height of the fence. Sure, it was pretty high, and Toby was right about him getting spotted easily, so he stored the idea away as a plan B.

"You're crazy," a voice said. Gray turned around to see a boy a little younger than him, maybe by a year or so. He was skinny and covered in dirt, black hair stringy with sweat and green eyes filled with amusement.

"Maybe," Gray replied.

The boy grinned.

"I'm Matt," he said. "But most of the people here call me Matty." Gray smirked. "Cute." Matty flushed. "Shut up." Gray laughed. "I'm Gray." Matty cocked his head. "Gray? That's a weird name."

"Really? My name's the weird one? _Matty_?"

Toby walked up, shaking his head and smiling. "Get along, you two. And Matty, don't help him out with any of his idea," he warned.

Matty did a mock salute and Toby rolled his eyes, but sauntered away to dispose of the plants in the wheelbarrow. "So, what are your ideas?" Matty asked curiously, a mischevious glint in his eye.

Gray raised an eyebrow. "I'll tell you later," he said. Matty pouted, by got over it quickly. "So what kind of magic do you use?" he queried. Gray was looking back up at the fence when he answered, "Ice magic."

Matty stuck out his tongue in distaste. "I never liked the cold. Besides, y'all get heat stroke out here." Gray shrugged. "That's true." Matty shuffled closer. "How do you even train for that? I heard that your teachers take you up into the mountains and leave you to survive."

Gray 'hmm'ed. "Others might've trained that way. My teacher did take us up to the mountains, but she didn't leave us. We trained in our underwear everyday and even bathed in ice baths."

Matty winced. "Ugh. I would've quit."

Gray glanced over at the raven-haired boy.

"The only ice wizards I've known is the other kid I trained with, and my teacher." Matty blinked a few times. "I'm not too surprised. Ice wizards seem to be pretty rare. They come here in numbers few and far between. I think there's only been, like, four other ones apart from you."

"What happened to them?" Gray asked, dark blue eyes watching Matty closely.

"I think two died from the sun. The other three from the draining," Matty said seriously.

Gray folded his arms across his chest. "Have you been down there?" The boy shook his head. "No. I have very low level magic, so I'm just kept around for labor. I've been here for a year, so I guess when everyone else dies, they'll use me if I'm still breathing."

The ice mage scowled. "I'm breaking out before that ever happens." Matty shook his head. "I'll believe it when I see it."

* * *

That night was the first night he went downstairs.

Instead of watching Toby leave and waking up to him coming back, he was taken as well.

"You're coming too," the guard growled at him. He stood up and went to Toby's side, who was watching him with sad eyes.

They collected a few other prisoners and were shoved down the dark hallway. Gray caught sight of Matty, who awoke and glanced at all the prisoners who were going. His eyes widened when he saw Gray and his gaze held an unspoken question.

_What are you doing there?_

Gray shrugged. A guard opened a door Gray hadn't seen before, revealing a set of stairs that descended into black.


	3. Chapter 3

Gray gazed at the dozen table all laid out in a row, cords hanging off the sides and several different restraints attached. There was a console in one corner of the room and the entire space was filled with torches.

Before he could ask Toby anything, a guard grabbed his arm and dragged him towards one of the tables. Gray ripped his arm out of the guards grasp, fully aware that he had nowhere to run. The guard narrowed his eyes at him and pushed him onto the table. For once, Gray didn't know what to do. His panic rose, ad he began to struggle.

It was fruitless in the end, and he was strapped down tightly. The guard forced some kind of rubber piece into his mouth that was sewn to a restraint that covered his mouth.

Toby laid down on his own, looking resigned and extremely tired. He let the guard tie him down. Gray's put in the cords, which had needles attached to the end. He flinched when they slid in with a sting of pain, but he was too distracted by the remaining guard walking to the console in the corner to pay them too much thought.

Gray looked to his right, where a lady that looked to be in her early thirties began to cry, squeezing her eyes shut and trying to suppress her trembling.

When Gray looked to his left, Toby didn't make eye contact. Suddenly, a low humming sound came on, and the woman on Gray's right suddenly began thrashing, body slamming against the table with loud thumps.

Her cord were a golden yellow and her screams were muffled by the gag.

Gray's heart leapt into his throat and his hands began to shake. He clenched them into fists and took a deep breath to try and calm himself down. He hadn't felt fear in a long time. At least not like this.

His cords then came to life, and Gray couldn't contain his screams.

* * *

Toby had to admit, Gray was a good kid. Strong. Brave. The kind of things you want to find in a person. But he was also incredibly stubborn and stupid, traits he probably picked up from someone else in his life.

He had a temper, yet at other times remained completely calm, making Toby wonder if he also inherited that. For some reason, ever since he had woken up in the cell, groggy and confused, Toby had felt an almost fatherly protectiveness for the boy.

It was a bit ridiculous, considering he didn't even know the ice mage, but there was something special about him. Toby didn't know what it was, but he was sure he'd figure it out eventually.

Toby was scared for Gray too. With his ideas of escaping and the willpower to execute them, he could wind up dead. Fast. But he knew that even if Gray did stop with his plans for breaking out, he'd still die a slow and painful death at a young age.

As his lay there, cords alight with orange light, Toby dwelled in a pocket of his mind, quiet and safe from the pain. He knew that if he somehow got past the pain, all he would see was Gray going through the same, and he had no desire to see that.

Suddenly, he was jolted out of his safe haven, and he blinked a few times. Because the pain had stopped, leaving the familiar stings and aches behind. "What do we do? We've never gotten this kind of power before," a guard said. Another looked over from the console. "What kind of wizard is he?" The first frowned for a moment.

"I heard he was an ice mage."

Bile rose in Toby's throat, and he slowly turned his head to the side to see Gray, who was covered in sweat and shaking hard, eyes wide and chest heaving. The boy was blinking away what looked to be tears, and Toby decided to pretend he never saw him for the sake of Gray's pride.

"Think we should bring him in to see the bosses?"

A guard snorted. "No. We'll just milk a bit more out of him than the others. That way he'll die around the same time as the others and everything stays on schedule." The other guards agreed and one reached over and flipped a switch.

Gray's cords came on once more, burning a bright blue, and the ice mage arched off the table.

* * *

"Does that happen everyday?" Gray asked. Toby looked up. He nodded. "Kind of. I go every other day. Other go everyday. Depends on how much magic they can drain from you."

Gray nodded slightly, dark irises lightening in shade. "You're pretty powerful, huh?" Toby inquired. Gray swallowed once before shrugging. "I guess," was all he said. Toby frowned. "They seemed to think that you are."

Gray exhaled, then shrugged again. "I know of fellow guild members more powerful." Which is something he would never say to the salamander's face. "That's pretty amazing. Your friends. What are they like?"

"They're good people. Strong and brave, though they're stupidly stubborn." Toby raised an eyebrow. "Think they're out looking for you?" he asked quietly, watching Gray's face.

Gray nodded, looking out through the bars of the cell.

"I know they are."

* * *

"Gray? Gray, where are you?" Natsu yelled, hands cupping around his mouth. "Gray!" Lucy cried. Suddenly she crashed into Natsu's back. Hard. "Natsu, what-?" her words died when she saw the dumbstruck look on Natsu's face.

Her eyes swiveled to where he was looking and her inquisitive gaze fell on a broken necklace in a pool of blood. Her eyes widened and a harsh and horrified gasp escaped her throat.

Erza came through the brush behind them, twigs snapping under the weight of her steel boots. "Did you find him?" A choked sound came from her when she saw the necklace.

Juvia was hot on her heels and when the blood crusted cross came into view, it seemed like the world came to an end.

"No." Lucy turned scared eyes onto the trembling girl whose tear-filled eyes matched the strands of hairs surrounding her face. Juvia shook her head. "No. No. No! NO! NONONONO!" she shrieked, and her knees buckled.

Erza caught her before she hit the ground and Juvia promptly burst into tears, folding in on herself while one hand unconsiously reached out to Gray's necklace. Lucy's eyes filled with tears, her soul filling with anguish at the sound of Juvia's despair.

Erza herself looked in pain, while at the same time, a little lost and a little angry. Natsu just stood rigid as a board, shaking with fury. Soon it was just too much, and he let out a scream before tearing off into the forest.

"Natsu!" Lucy yelled, and tried to grab him, but he was too fast. She made to go after him, but Erza's hand on her arm halted her in her tracks. "Leave him be," Erza nearly pleaded, voice cracking.

"Leave him be."


	4. Chapter 4

Natsu slammed his hands on the table. "We can't just give up!"

Makarov sighed, eyes slipping closed. "Natsu, we've looked for weeks, and not a single clue has been found. And by the amount of blood-"

"He's not dead."

Everyone turned to look at Juvia. She hadn't said a word in days, just sat in the corner, face streaked with dried tear tracks. She had no emotion in her expression, her face slack and her eyes dead.

"He's not dead," she repeated. Lucy twirled a lock of hair around her finger, trying to keep from crying again. "What about Lyon? Has anyone told him?" Silence. The Master pursed his lips. "He has a right to know."

Erza stood, hair falling over face. "I'll go," she said quietly.

When she reached the Lamia Scale guild hall, she knocked on the front door and waited. The door opened and a gangly kid with dark red hair and copper colored eyes peeked out. "Hello, I'm here to see Lyon Vastia," she told him in a monotone.

The boy frowned. "Who should I say it is?" he asked carefully, eyeing her armor and sword. "Erza Scarlet. Tell him it's about Gray." The boy nodded and shut the door. A minute or two later, Lyon slipped outside.

"You're from Fairy Tail, right? You came to talk to me about Gray?" he asked, eyes squinting suspiciously. Erza bowed her head once in confirmation. "Yes. I'm sorry," she suddenly blurted.

Lyon looked taken aback.

"What? Has something happened to Gray?" he demanded, eyebrows scrunching together.

Erza's mask suddenly tore and her expression turned to one of anguish. "He's dead. I'm sorry," she said stiffly, trying to keep any moisture from leaving her eyes.

Lyon was frozen, eyes wide and unbelieving. "What?" he whispered. Erza swallowed and forced herself to say it again.

"Gray is dead."

* * *

"You're not dead!" Matty exclaimed, grinning brightly at Gray.

Gray scowled, brushing a strand of hair out of his face. "That's rather morbid," he retorted. "Anyway, you should get outta here." Matty frowned. "Why?" Gray looked him straight in the eye.

"I'm making an escape attempt. So unless you want to be paired up with me if I'm caught, you better scram." Matty scowled, but scurried away. Gray snorted, loading another plant onto the wheelbarrow. When the guard's back was on him, Gray crept into the stalks of plants and started running.

He kept his mind of what Toby had told him that morning. "No one ever goes to the back of the field. There's no fence or anything back there. Besides, it's about 10 miles in a single direction."

Shouts echoed behind him, letting Gray know someone had noticed he was gone. He glanced back to see a figure start running after him, then another. And another. Crap. He ran faster, but the heat of the sun and the draining he had gone through only a few hours before was catching up to him, and fast.

His legs were going numb and his lungs burned. And he was slowing down.

Suddenly, a hard body slammed into his back and he went down, crashing into the dirt. He struggled wildly, punching when he could and kicking with abandon. When his captor accidentally let go, he was on his feet in a flash and running again.

Gray could hear swears behind him and the sound of more voices. As a minute ticked by, he realized with a sinking feeling that he wouldn't be able to make it ten miles to the edge of the field when the guards were so close.

He dived into a different aisle going in a different direction, jumping over a wheelbarrow, and spilling the plants so the guards would have to tread a bit more carefully in order to purse him.

Then he went left again so he was back on track. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a guard gaining on him and he tried to push himself to go farther. A hand grabbed his arm, and he swung around and punched his attacker in the face without hesitation. The guard growled and kneed him in the gut, tangling their legs together so Gray fell.

When he did, the guard wrestled with him until other found them. They pinned him easily. Just when he was going to throw his head back in the hopes someone would get hit, a hand wrapped around his throat.

"You little bastard," a voice growled.

* * *

"This little _rat _thought he could escape," the guard sneered. Gray was on his knees behind him, a guard holding each of his arms so tightly he was sure there'd be bruises.

He turned and punched Gray in the face. Gray grunted, his head snapping to the side, followed by a few groans of sympathy from their small audience. Some prisoners were gathered to watch, others already sneaking back into the field to work, having no desire to see the outcome.

Gray's body jerked too, but the guards kept him still. Suddenly a steel-toed boot slammed into his gut. Gray wouldn't doubled over if possible, a choked grunt escaping his lips.

He was actually thankful he was already kneeling. Gray coughed, then spat a mouthful of blood onto the guard's boots. "You little piece of trash!" The other guards let go so the first could grab a fistful of his hair, hoisting him up painfully a few inches.

Gray just smiled, teeth coated in red.


	5. Chapter 5

"You idiot!" Toby nearly slapped the boy upside the head just for his stupidity. Gray didn't raise his head, just glanced in his direction. "I'm okay," he rasped. Toby fumed. "They could have killed you! It looks like they did!"

Gray blinked sluggishly. "I'm okay," he repeated, trying to sit up. Toby sighed. "You shouldn't get up." Gray's face and torso was littered in bruises and cuts. His lips was split, and Toby was pretty sure a rib or two was broken.

All in all, Gray was beaten badly.

Gray didn't listen and pushed himself upright, breathing hard. Toby helped prop him up against a wall, muttering about how stupid he was. "Even if I don't break out, my friends will find me."

Toby pursed his lips. "They won't be able to find you." Gray shook his head. 'I don't care how impossible you think it might be. They don't leave a guild member behind. They'll find me."

* * *

Time passed, and Gray healed. But the beating didn't bump Gray the way everyone expected. It just made him work harder. The ice mage tried everything under the sun to escape.

He tried digging a tunnel. Twice. One from underneath the cell block, and another in the field. The second hadn't quite made it to the fence when Gray'd gotten caught. And beaten. Again.

But Gray never learned.

Toby yelled at him, pleaded with him, hell, he even slapped Gray in the face once.

Gray had clutched his cheek, staring up at the man with wide eyes and a deep pink jaw. Toby clenched his fist. "I can't-I...I can't watch you do this to yourself. Please. Just...please."

Gray blinked a few times. "You've been here for almost a year, and I just can't. I won't watch you die, Gray. I care for you too much."

* * *

Toby stopped talking to him. He couldn't take it, the inevitable pain that would come with Gray's death was too much. So Toby tried to disconnect. Keep away from him and erase the last years like it hadn't happened.

So Gray ceased to talk as well. He still talked with Matty on occasion, but he mostly kept to himself. When that happened, other prisoners tried picking on him, but that behavior stopped as soon as it began.

When Gray wasn't trying to escape, he was memorizing everything he could about the prison he was in. The fence, it's structure, the cell block, it's blueprints. The guards and their shifts, as well as a few habits that might help him later on.

In the back of his mind, however, doubt began to grow.

* * *

How can I escape?

Can I escape?

Where are my friends?

What if...what if I never get out?

What if I die here?

* * *

Toby watched with interest, as Gray absently made ornate gestures with his hands, each with an air of practiced gracefulness. "Is that how you used your magic?" Gray's head shot up, startled out of whatever thoughts he'd been enwrapped in.

"Yeah."

Toby silently berated himself for what he was about to do.

"Can you show me?" he asked curiously. Gray titled his head to the side a fraction, allowing his overgrown bangs to hang over his eyes.

Gray nodded. That he made a fist with one hand, placing it on the other palm. "When using the kind of ice magic I do, I use two hands." As Gray listed off the different attacks and forms he could create, gesturing wildly all the while, Toby just smiled in amusement.

Maybe...maybe it was okay to care.

* * *

Gray was kind of a ray of hope among the prisoners in the place. Strong, fierce, and nonrelenting.

And when the day finally came that Gray gave up, that light went out.

The ice mage had been there two years. He had made sixty-seven escape attempts.

That's the day when the guards decided enough was enough.

* * *

Gray's stomach heaved, and he retched again into the ditch, sweat beading on his forehead and his hands fisted in the dirt.

Toby patted him on the back. "You're almost done," he said soothingly. Gray gasped in air. "God-," he choked out. The temperature had to have been over a hundred degrees, and Gray couldn't take it.

"I-I'm okay," he panted, sitting up and resting on his heels. Toby frowned, but helped him to his feet. Gray wobbled and turned a bit green, but swallowed down the rising nausea.

Suddenly, Matty came sprinting around the corner before skidding to a stop and kicking up dust. "They found it," he panted. Gray straightened up. "What? How?" he demanded. Matty looked over at John, who grinned.

"That bastard," Gray snarled, fists clenching. But he didn't have time to do anything before guards came around the corner. They had long learned that safety came in a hell of a lot of numbers.

They restrained him, and Gray went along quietly. They brought him back up to the front, where the head guard didn't even frowned. Toby and Matty followed behind, swallowing nervously.

"Ice mage," the guard rumbled. He was a stocky man, with broad shoulders and bright red hair and glittering green eyes. Over the years, his anger faded at gray's antics, and a deep hatred for the ice-wielder set in.

Gray kept a straight face. Over the years he had gotten taller, and his hair grew longer. It now hung a bit past his shoulders, swept back in a low ponytail with a scrap of fabric. His shoulders were broad and he was even stronger than before. That, paired with the dozen scars that were littered across his torso and arms and the cold steel in his eyes, made him a fearsome man to face.

"I'm done with you," was all he said, Gray was confused, with good reason, but he didn't let any of it show. Toby and Matt exchanged glances. White-hot pain exploded in Gray's gut and he screamed in pain dropping like a stone to the ground.

"Gray!" Toby ran forward, eyes wide with horror as the knife wound gushed out blood. Gray curled up in a ball, eyes glazed over in pain with his leg occasionally twitching. The guard nodded at his comrades, and they grabbed Toby.

Gray gasped in air and exhaled shakily.

The guard made Toby kneel down about ten feet away from Gray was bleeding out into the dirt.

One handed the first a gun. Gray wheezed. "D-Don't," he whispered. The guard was expressionless, as if he were made of stone.

He placed the barrel of the gun to Toby's forehead.

Toby had to admit, he hadn't seen this one coming. But he wasn't too shocked. He wasn't angry either. Before Gray even came along, Toby knew he would ie in that place.

He had made peace with that.

Toby had always been a loner. No family to speak of, just a little cabin in the woods and a stray dog that came around a couple times a week. It was good. It was okay. Then Gray came along.

Gray Fullbuster was the son he'd never had.

He was kind of like the son he had never known that he wanted. Gray was sarcastic and snappy, his drawl low and bored in the middle of conversations, but that was okay. Because Gray was also funny and playful. He even smiled at rare times. Toby was proud of him, and always would be.

As the guard cocked the gun, Toby could only think of one regret.

That he wouldn't be able to see Gray use the magic he could picture him wielding so beautifully.

He caught Gray's eye, and he smiled warmly.

The gun fired, a loud boom that echoed across the field and rang in Gray's ears.

"TOBY!"


	6. Chapter 6

"...Gray?"

Gray blinked.

"...What do you want?" he asked softly. Matty licked his lips nervously.

"I wanted to talk to you." He swallowed hard. "You never talk to anyone. Not even me. I guess I just wanted to see if you were alright."

Silence enveloped them, a cocoon of cool air and silent grievances.

"I'm okay."

It was a big fat lie. Four months and Gray looked like a dead man walking. Thin and gaunt, skin grey and clammy to match the dark circles under his eyes from sleepless nights.

Anyone with a heart knew Gray felt guilty.

Toby died to put a stop to Gray's escape attempts. And it worked. He never tried again.

When someone even mentioned it around him, he would either stalk off in a terrifying demeanor of calmness, or he would snap, punching the poor soul in the face.

No one talked about Toby either. Gray was even more touchy on that subject.

He knew Toby had loved him like a son, and in turn, Gray had loved him like a father. They bonded, sharing light and laughter in a place filled with pain and sorrow.

In the eyes of the camp, Toby ceased to exist and Gray's legendary status faded. It never died, though. People knew who he was and what he had done and tried to do.

Newcomers were informed about him as well, but the secret to his defeat was the ultimate taboo.

He wasn't treated with reverence, but respect. Even John, the bastard responsible for selling him out that day, had apologized for his actions.

The confession had gotten him a severe beating from the wounded ice mage, but everyone knew he had it coming.

Gray grew to live in the shadows, under the radar of everyone.

* * *

One month later, and Gray had tried to commit suicide.

"Gray, _stop_!" Matty yelled, wrenching the gun from Gray's hands. Gray sat there limply, staring at the ground with a tired gaze. Matty panted, hands shakily clutching the gun's barrel.

"Where did you even get this?" Matty whispered shakily.

"I took it," Gray murmured, not looking up. Matty threw the gun to the side.

"Dammit, Gray, why are you doing this to yourself? Death isn't the answer."

At that, Gray finally did raise his head. "Isn't it? No one's ever getting out, so that's all we have to look forward to. Death. Reprieve from this hell we're forced to live in."

Matty gritted his teeth. "You're strong Gray. You always have been. Because while everyone else keeps dying, you keep living. And you better continue to do so, you know why? Because I believe you'll make it out someday."

Gray's lips parted and he swallowed, adam's apple bobbing.

"Hell, I'm going to live too, because I want to see it happen, more than anything," the boy said firmly. Gray stared at him for a moment before sighing, ocean blue irises vanishing under his eyelids.

"I'm sorry," he whispered leaning forward to rest his forehead on Matty's shoulder. "I'm just so tired."

Matty swallowed a mouthful of saliva. And you miss him, he added to himself.

* * *

"You know what would be almost funny? If those friends of yours showed up right after you escaped," Matty joked.

Gray smiled gently, but kept pulling weeds. "I'm not going to try escaping again."

Matty pursed his lips, yanking a bit harder on the next weed. "Than how are you getting out of here, oh great and powerful ice mage?" Gray rolled his eyes.

"Didn't we have this conversation, Matty? No more escape attempts. You never know, I might magically disappear through our pretty new wall."

Matty grimaced at the mention of it. "I hate that thing," he groused. "It's so depressing."

The wall was also kind of Gray's fault. After all those tries, they finally put up a solid wall, covered completely in different wards and attacking spells. It was turning into an even more impenetrable box.

"I'm sure after a couple more years, we won't care." Matty huffed, playfully throwing a weed at Gray, whose dodged it expertly.

"Ha. Ha," Matty muttered sarcastically. "If we're going to sit around and mope everyday for the rest of our lives, I have complaining rights."

Gray sighed, standing up and loading an Attor plant onto the wheelbarrow. Grasping the handles, he began to push the full load down the dirt aisle. "Whatever," he replied.

* * *

"Matty, what is it you want from me?"

Matty paused, eyebrows drawing together.

"I don't understand you. Why do you bother with me?"

"Because I want you to be _you _again!" Matty cried. "I'm tired of watching you wear down day after day. I'm _tired _of watching you grieve, and hurt. I want you to _smile _again! For real!"

Gray blinked. "Any sane person would've given up on me after all this time."

Matty's nose twitched. "Probably."

Gray sat down with a sigh. "Matty, as much as you might try, this isn't something you can fix."

He inhaled deeply. "I could...describe it...as a weight on the mind? Your head...feel so heavy, making you tired."

Gray licked his lips. "Making you...worn out."

He looked up at Matty. "You can't fix something like that. Not the pain in my chest...or the hopelessness I feel."

Matty frowned and sat down next to Gray, wiping his hands on his pants. "Gray." Gray lifted his head to glance at him curiously. "You're kind of like my best friend. Only friend, I guess. And I want you to be happy. So I want you to promise me something."

Gray's head tipped to the side a fraction.

"When the day comes, and you break out of this hell-hole...I don't want you to take me with you."

Gray stared at him. "What?" he croaked.

"If you try to come back for someone, you _will _get caught. So you gotta promise me," Matty pressed.

"But-," Gray began. Matty interrupted by holding up a finger. "Matty, I can't do that!" he insisted.

"_Promise me."_

"I-I...I...promise."


	7. Chapter 7

"Do you miss them?" Matty asked, leaning back lay on the dirt, his face and neck covered in a thin sheen of sweat.

"Of course," Gray replied quietly without missing a beat. Three years from home created such a strong homesickness that sometimes he wanted to break down in tears.

But that wouldn't bring him back.

Matty grinned. "Even that annoying fire-breather you supposedly can't stand?"

Gray huffed a laugh. "Yeah, even the annoying fire-breather," he admitted. Matty hopped down from his perch on the underbelly of the overturned wheelbarrow.

"Matty!" a boy called. Gray looked between the two. Matty looked a bit guilty, shifting from one foot to the other.

"Matty, you can go," Gray said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Matty flushed. "Seriously. I don't care. Go." Matty nodded and jogged up tot eh other boy, and the two hastily exchanged words.

Before they ran off, Matty glanced back at Gray, who was looking up at the wall with a sad frown on his face.

His hand reached up to his throat, and his eyes widened when what he wanted wasn't there.

* * *

The buzzer rang, and Gray put down the bundle of weeds.

Looking across the field, he spied Matty. The boy waved, but Gray ignored him. Not that it was anything new.

If it was possible, Gray had become even more or a loner. Sure, he had some prisoners telling him whether or not it would be hot outside, and he helped a few with pulling Attor plants.

But he didn't have friends.

Well...Matty was there.

The boy refused to leave him alone, no matter how many times Gray had tried to rebuke him.

They only talked a few times per week, occasionally even less than that, but Matty still considered them to be best friends.

Matty came over, bouncing with happiness like his usual bubbly self.

Gray knew more about Matty than Matty probably did.

See, Matty had a big heart, capable of absorbing and distributing impossible amounts of love and affection. His sensitivity kept him trying to keep people happy and hopeful.

He was a good kid, and Gray kind of admired him for that.

Even if he was too blind to actually see what it was he was doing.

* * *

The guards shoved them through the doors in little groups, and the stale air of the cell block was welcoming from the outside heat.

Gray walked down the hall, hands tugging back his hair. It had grown a lot, and was now almost always kept in a low ponytail.

When he neared his cell, he paused momentarily at the sound of hushed murmurs coming from it.

He blinked a few times, frowning in confusion. Not a single prisoner had shared a cell with him since Toby died.

The door slid open and Gray stepped in, a little eager to see who it was.

When his gaze fell upon the metal cell's occupants, Gray could feel his heart coming to a stop.

One would make the analogy that it was like looking into the faces of angels.

His head spun and his heart leapt into his throat.

Unwanted memories surged to the front of his mind, repeating over and over like a chant.

_It's them. They're here. It's them. They're here._

"Gray?" Natsu asked, eyes wide with shock.

* * *

**Yeah, I know. Horrible ending. Sorry about the sucky last few chapters. I didn't actually have any inspiration, I just wanted to get this done for you guys.**

**Anyway, I do have a SEQUEL to this. **

**...Well, no, I lied. This is the prequel to that book, and I thought I should let you guys all know. The next one is called the Escence of Attor. **

**-.- And yes, it's spelled wrong. Sowwy. PLEASE REVIEW! I'M BEGGING YA HERE! *cries***


	8. Chapter 8

If you liked it...

This a complete list of the entire Attor series:

1\. Attor

2\. Escence of Attor (Ya..it's spelled wrong *sigh* I know.)

3\. Attor's Golden Tears

4\. Attor's Reflection

5\. Blood of Gold

(NOTE: THIS MAY BE TAKEN DOWN FOR EDITING)


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